This week’s episode centers on a listener email, in which an intrepid college student shared a sample opinion he wrote for Virginia Uranium v. Warren (a case about federal preemption of State law), and now Brett and Nazim have to decide whether to join the opinion outright, write a concurrence, or write a dissent. Talk about Robots taking over the government starts at (01:40); Law talk starts at (08:24).
This week’s episode takes a deep dive into the Armed Career Criminal Act, a Federal Sentencing Enhancement Statute that is regularly before the Supreme Court on interpretation issues. Brett and Nazim discuss U.S. v. Stitt (Is Burglary of a Mobile Home rreeeeaaallllyyyy burglary?) and Stokeling v. U.S. (Are gentle robberies rrreeaaallllyy robberies??). Law starts at (5:00).
Brett and Nazim celebrate Thanksgiving early by taking questions from listeners about the law, Thanksgiving, and random things like whether a straw has one hole or two. The Citizen’s Guide to the Supreme Court will return on December 2nd.
This week’s episode discusses Knick v. Township of Scott, PA, which on its face deals with the correct forum for Takings Clause cases, but on the sly is probably the best fact pattern we’ve dealt with so far on the podcast. The law starts in earnest at (10:06), but this episode generally covers Weird Al, realizing the law is boring, how young Nazim looks, bail bonds, and being a real estate lawyer.
Brett and Nazim cover sex offenders and Separation of Powers in the form of Gundy v. U.S., a case that asks whether Congressional delegation regarding sex offender registration to the attorney general violates the Constitution. The law starts at (06:15), but there’s a fair amount of tangents, including some solid Jeopardy talk.
This week’s episode tips its toes into International Law, and Brett and Nazim discuss treaties and how treaties fit into the hierarchy of domestic law. This episode also covers two cases involving U.S. treaties, Washington State Licensing Dept. v. Cougar Den and Herrera v. Wyoming. Law starts at (10:49).
We’re kicking off “Austin from Texas’ Fantasy SCOTUS League.” I’d abbreviate that to AfTFSCOTUSL, but I don’t find that helpful at all, and it’s not like I’m spending time on saying that, or even using up paper with it. I also feel compelled to make some jokes about Texas here, but I’m coming up blank. So, I’m going to move on to the helpful words.
We pick some US Supreme Court cases, you pick some outcomes, and we repeat that process every month. At the end of the term, we evaluate who guessed most accurately, and give the winner a pithy prize. If you win, we might send you some law books. Or, I don’t know, an alien femur from Area 51. If you win a couple of terms in a row, we can discuss naming rights.
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Posted: November 1, 2018 by Nazim in Fantasy Supreme Court League
Break out your Von Dutch hats, it’s time to talk Truckers, and by proxy, employment relationships and arbitration clauses. By popular demand, Brett and Nazim discuss New Prime, Inc. v. Olivera, which covers generally how poorly arbitration clauses are applied across the board. Law starts at (06:52).
Listen, this episodes a little off the hinges. The primary case is Frank v. Gaos, which discusses whether class action claims that don’t actually give people money are legit, sort of sets the stage for a tangent-filled discussion between tired Nazim and punchy Brett. The law starts in earnest at (06:32), get side-tracked and basically starts at (14:24).
This week’s episode covers Madison v. Alabama, and whether or not the 8th Amendment bars the execution of someone who lacks mental capacity, but first Brett and Nazim read the single greatest listener feedback we’ve ever received. There’s no time stamp this week, because the intro is worth your time, and we’ll probably be making jokes about it until the end of time.
